AFTER guiding his new charge Scott Quigg through their first fight together, trainer Freddie Roach is going to sit back and enjoy the spectacle as Anthony Joshua fights Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley stadium on Saturday (April 29).
โItโs definitely going to be special, that many people, itโs going to be great. I just hope I can get a good seat afterwards, Iโll sneak in somewhere,โ the trainer said.
He gave his prediction for the big fight to Boxing News. โIโve seen Joshua [winning] the whole way through. Then I saw his fight with [Dillian] Whyte and he got hurt real bad in that fight trying to exchange with the guy and if he hasnโt corrected that mistake he may come unstuck in this fight. That wasnโt a great moment for him but hopefully it was a good learning experience for him,โ Roach said.
He has knownย Klitschko for a long time himself but still says, โIโm going to go with youth. But the thing is, these old timers sometimes they keep kicking. I trained Klitschko for four or five fights back before he hired Emmanuel Steward. I know him well. He is one of the hardest working heavyweights Iโve ever seen in my life. He works really, really and heโs always in great shape and heโs one of those guys that have good work ethics and thatโs why we got along so well.โ
Back then he sensed Wladimir would be a special fighter. โIn a different way because he was a big puncher back then and he was getting knockouts all the time and I liked the aggressive style. They did change him and made him into a better boxer and worked on more of defence and a long jab and a little bit boring for me. He was such a puncher and knocking everyone out when I had him. Thatโs how things go,โ Roach said.